One unpleasant aspect of IVF which is seldom highlighted is obtaining sperm through masturbation. To make this easier, clinics usually provide pornography in a special room. A recent report from a British think tank claims that as many as one in three hospitals provide pornographic material for their clients. Julia Manning, the director of 2020health.org, which highlights cases of NHS waste, said that this was scandalous, even though the amounts were small. She wants the British government to ban pornography in all public IVF clinics.

“This isn’t the first publicity about the use of pornography in the NHS. But what is staggering is that the only objection to date seems to have been that tax payers’ money was used. No reference has been made to the humiliation for the staff, the implied sanctioning of pornography in the workplace, the fostering of unhealthy attitudes towards the opposite sex, the encouragement of ‘adultery of the mind’, and the impact of the addictive nature of porn. Isn’t the public sector being inconsistent in its ‘values’ in not challenging this? The public sector workplace should be a leading and inspiring example of a safe and healthy environment, which elevates the dignity and respect of both men and women.”

However, Dr Alan Thornhill, of The London Bridge Fertility, Gynaecology and Genetics Centre, a leading IVF clinic, ridiculed Ms Manning’s proposal. He argued that pornography was a minor but essential part of IVF and that clinic staff understand this. Furthermore, British troops overseas are provided with free pornography. Why not IVF clinics? ~ BioNews, Sept 20